At the start of every year comes the thought: how many books will I try and read by December? For the past number of years I kept the number low (between 10 and 40 books a year) thinking I’d be too busy to read more. But each year I pass the goal in mind, which leaves only one thing: to take this challenge and make it more… challenging.
This year my goal is to read 80 books, though secretly (not so secret now, I suppose) 100 would feel pretty good. I have the means of reaching this goal: given a few books for Christmas has started the year strong, and after going to the library last week I’m ahead of schedule.
One thing I’ve decided to do to help me reach my goal is this: a trip to the library as a reward each month once I’ve received my payslip from work. And if, on each trip to the library, I borrow between 9 and 12 books and manage to read most of them each month, I should read at least 80 books by the end of the year.
Several factors come into play, of course, such as going away and not having the time or energy to pick up a book, reading slumps where you’ve read so much you can’t possibly take in another word, days when I don’t feel like going to the library.
But I figure, I enjoy reading most of the time. The reason I don’t read as much as I’d like to is because I get lazy (scrolling through social media with no joy is so much easier than picking up a book), or I can’t find a book that I’m in the mood for. By going to the library I’m reading things I haven’t read before, or rereading old favourites, so theoretically I should *always* have a book I’m in the mood for.
This goal isn’t about pain. This isn’t about forcing myself to do something I don’t like. It’s making something I love something I actually do. If I don’t want to read, I’ll stop. But that doesn’t happen often, so I’m optimistic about the results.
After going to the library and reading a few books in the past fortnight I’m feeling happy. And, okay, reading until two in the morning isn’t sustainable, but it’s all part of the fun, isn’t it?
Sarah xx
the softest words 